按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃but then later on mrs。 coulter caught me and i was in a trance； and i was dreaming and i dreamed of that； and i dreamed of you。 and i remembered the gyptian boat mother； ma costa； you remember； it was their boat we got on board of； in jericho； with simon and hugh and them。。。”
〃yes！ and we nearly sailed it to abingdon！ that was the best thing we ever done； lyra！ i wont never forget that； even if im down here dead for a thousand years。。。”
〃yes； but listen； when i ran away from mrs。 coulter the first time； right； i found the gyptians again and they looked after me and。。。 oh； roger； theres so much i found out； youd be amazed； but this is the important thing： ma costa said to me； she said id got witch…oil in my soul； she said the gyptians were water people but i was a fire person。
〃and what i think that means is she was sort of preparing me for the witch…prophecy。 i know i got something important to do； and dr。 lanselius the consul said it was vital i never found out what my destiny was till it happened； see； i must never ask about it。。。 so i never did。 i never even thought what it might be。 i never asked the alethiometer； even。
〃but now i think i know。 and finding you again is just a sort of proof。 what i got to do； roger； what my destiny is； is i got to help all the ghosts out of the land of the dead forever。 me and will； we got to rescue you all。 im sure its that。 it must be。 and because lord asriel； because of something my father said。。。 death is going to die； he said。 i dunno whatll happen； though。 you mustnt tell em yet； promise。 i mean you might not last up there。 but。。。”
he was desperate to speak； so she stopped。
〃thats just what i wanted to tell you！〃 he said。 〃i told em； all the other dead uns； i told them youd e！ just like you came and rescued the kids from bolvangar！ i says； lyrall do it； it anyone can。 they
wished itd be true； they wanted to believe me； but they never really did； i could tell。
〃for one thing；〃 he went on； 〃every kid thats ever e here； every single one； starts by saying； i bet my dadll e and get me； or i bet my mum； as soon as she knows where i am； shell fetch me home again。 if it ent their dad or mum； its their friends； or their grandpa； but someones going to e and rescue em。 only they never do。 so no one believed me when i told em youd e。 only i was right！〃
〃yeah；〃 she said； 〃well； i couldnt have done it without will。 thats will over there； and thats the chevalier tialys and the lady salmakia。 theres so much to tell you； roger。。。〃
〃whos will？ wheres he e from？〃
lyra began to explain； quite unaware of how her voice changed； how she sat up straighter； and how even her eyes looked different when she told the story of her meeting with will and the fight for the subtle knife。 how could she have known？ but roger noticed； with the sad； voiceless envy of the unchanging dead。
meanwhile； will and the gallivespians were a little way off； talking quietly。
〃what are you going to do； you and the girl？〃 said tialys。
〃open this world and let the ghosts out。 thats what ive got the knife for。〃
he had never seen such astonishment on any faces； let alone those of people whose good opinion he valued。 hed acquired a great respect for these two。 they sat silent for a few moments； and then tialys said：
〃this will undo everything。 its the greatest blow you could strike。 the authority will be powerless after this。〃
〃how would they ever suspect it？〃 said the lady。 〃itll e at them out of nowhere！〃
〃and what then？〃 tialys asked will。
〃what then？ well； then well have to get out ourselves； and find our daemons； i suppose。 dont think of then。 its enough to think of now。 i havent said anything to the ghosts； in case…； in case it doesnt work。 so dont you say anything； either。 now im going to find a world i can open； and those harpies are watching。 so if you want to help； you can go and distract them while i do that。〃
instantly the gallivespians urged their dragonflies up into the murk overhead； where the harpies were as thick as blowflies。 will watched the great insects charging fearlessly up at them； for all the world as if the harpies were flies and they could snap them up in their jaws； big as they were。 he thought how much the brilliant creatures would love it when the sky was open and they could skim about over bright water again。
then he took up the knife。 and instantly there came back the words the harpies had thrown at him； taunts about his mother； and he stopped。 he put the knife down； trying to clear his mind。
he tried again； with the same result。 he could hear them clamoring above； despite the ferocity of the gallivespians； there were so many of them that two fliers alone could do little to stop them。
well； this was what it was going to be like。 it wasnt going to get any easier。 so will let his mind relax and bee disengaged； and just sat there with the knife held loosely until he was ready again。
this time the knife cut straight into the air； and met rock。 he had opened a window in this world into the underground of another。 he closed it up and tried again。
and the same thing happened； though he knew it was a different world。 hed opened windows before to find himself above the ground of another world； so he shouldnt have been surprised to find he was underground for a change； but it was disconcerting。
next time he felt carefully in the way hed learned； letting the tip search for the resonance that revealed a world where the ground was in the same place。 but the touch was wrong wherever he felt。 there was no world anywhere he could open into； everywhere he touched； it was solid rock。
lyra had sensed that something was wrong； and she jumped up from her close conversation with rogers ghost to hurry to wills side。
〃what is it？〃 she said quietly。
he told her； and added； 〃were going to have to move somewhere else before i can find a world we can open into。 and those harpies arent going to let us。 have you told the ghosts what we were planning？〃
〃no。 only roger； and i told him to keep it quiet。 hell do whatever i tell him。 oh； will； im scared； im so scared。 we might not ever get out。 suppose we get stuck here forever？〃
〃the knife ca